Belt-tightener



(No Model!) R. M. WHITNEY.

/ BELT TIGHTENER.

No. 532,255. v Patented Jan. 8, 1895.

, NITE TATES PATENT Fries.

RANDALL M. WHITNEY, or JEFFERSON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IBTELTTIGHT'ENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 532,255, dated January 8, 1 895.

. Application filed August 3,1894.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANDALL M. WHITNEY, of Jefferson, in the county ofWVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Belt-Tighteners; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a front side View of my improved belt-tightener applied to use. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical, transverse section taken on line m Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow, and Fig. 4; shows a modification in the construction which will be hereinafter described.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and effective device fortightening endless belts when they become slack by stretching from use, and consists of a stationary, detachable plate, having two slide .-blocks mounted thereon, at each side of a central,

stationary bearing, and adapted to be moved longitudinally by turning a double screwshaft, fitted to turn, but not to move longitudinally, in said central, stationary bearing, and also fitted to turn in threaded openings in said slide-blocks, whereby, when said screw is turned in one direction, pulleys mounted on the slide-blocks may be moved apart to tighten the belt, and toward each other to loosen and'remove the same, when the screw is turned in the opposite direction, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that others may better understand the nature and purpose of my said invention, I will now proceed to describe it more in detail.

In the drawings A represents part of the stationary frame of a machine to which my improved belt-tightenin g device B is attached by means of bolts a. Said device consists of the plate I) having the guide-way b; the slide blocks 0, c, fitted to slide longitudinally on said guide-way, at each side of a central stationary bearing e, the double screw (1 fitted to turn but not to slide longitudinally in said central bearing e on the plate 12, and to also turn in longitudinal threaded openings formed in the slideblocks, and the pulleys f, f, mounted and fitted to turn on suitable studs Serial No. 519,351. (No model.)

frame of the. machine upon which my im-.

proved device is to be used, and the blocks c, c'may be arranged to slide thereon in any suitable and convenient manner.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a longitudinal, dovetail groove in the bottom of each block, and a correspondingly shaped flange or tongue on the plate to accomplish said result, while, in Fig. 4 I have shown a reverse construction, that is, the groove in the plate and the flange or tongue on the slide-blocks.

It is obvious that other similar constructions, unnecessary to illustrate, may be used for obtainingthe same result, without departing from the principle thereof.

The device having been secured to the stat ionary frame, as shown, for instance, in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the endless belt 9 is passed over both pulleys f f, and the series of pulleys h of the machine, as is shown in Rig. 1, or as may be otherwise required according to the construction and purpose of said machine; when thus applied the blocks and their pulleys being located near the central bearingso as to admit of considerable outward movement to tighten the belt. Being thus applied and adjusted, it is obvious that by turning the double screw 01 in the proper direction in its stationary bearing e, the blocks and their pulleys may be moved'apart, and any slack which may have been produced by the belt stretching may be removed and said belt put in a proper taut condition for use. Said operation, as will also be apparent, is very simple and expeditions to perform, and obviates the common practice of cutting and splicing the belt to properly tighten the same.

The slide-blocks may be held in position after adjustment by means of the set-screws 7. passed up through frame A, plate 6 and bearing against the under side of said blocks, and by set nuts j fitted over the screw cl and turned up against the sides of the blocks, or in any other suitable and convenient manner. Said fastening devices are preferably used in practice, but not being an essential feature I reserve the right to use the same or not, as

desired.

I am aware of the United States patents to M. L. Russell, No. 294,67 8, dated March 4, 1884, for improvements in belt tighteners and to D. W. Pedrick,N0. 284,227, dated September 4, 1883, for improvements in chucks for planing valves, and make no claim to the constructions therein set forth.

What I do claim is the combination of elements as set forth in the following claim:'

The combination of frame A, pulleys h and belt g, with a belt tightening device c0nsistin g of the angle-plate I) having means for fastening it to frame A and provided with a longitudinal'guide-way b; the blocks a, c, fitted to slide on said guide-way and having longi- RANDALL M. WHITNEY.

Witnesses:

A. A. BARKER, W. B. NoURsE. 

